Inventor of Dental Implant Dies

The inventor of the modern-day dental implant, Dr. Per-Ingvar Branemark has died. He was a true pioneer in dentistry, even though he was not a dentist. Perhaps the biggest advance that Dr. Branemark contributed was his discovery and development of the concept of “osseointegration.” This, in effect, allowed the widespread use of dental implants because osseointegration is the process in which the implant fuses to the jaw.

Dr. Branemark’s first dental implant was installed in the mid-1960’s, but the dental and legal communities fought its acceptance until the early 1980’s when Dr. Branemark’s methods for dental implants won widespread acceptance during a meeting in Toronto. Today, millions of dental implants are successfully installed and dental implants are now the preferred method for replacement of lost teeth.

The dental profession and many patients owe a deep sense of gratitude to Dr. Branemark for his steadfast work and unwavering commitment to the dental implant. Prior to implants being so widely used, the dental profession would use bridges in order to replace lost teeth. This was an unnatural solution which often including the grinding down of healthy teeth on both sides of the lost tooth or teeth that were being replaced. In some cases, bridges are still used, butt dental implants on used to anchor them.The greatest benefit of the implants is that the look and feel just like real teeth. In fact, the way that they are anchored into the jaw replicates a real tooth and osseointegration allows the jaw to fuse to the implant. This ensures a very secure implant with no movement such as one might experience with a bridge or false teeth. We have come a long way in this regard.

Dental implant surgery is usually an outpatient surgery performed in the following stages:

• Your damaged tooth is removed;
• Your jawbone is prepared for surgery, a process that may involve bone grafting in which artificial cadaver bone is placed in the jaw to allow it to be able to accept an implant;
• After your jawbone heals from the extraction and/or the bone graft, your oral surgeon places the dental implant metal post in your jawbone;
• You go through a healing period that may last several months.
• Your oral surgeon places the abutment — an extension of the implant metal post — followed by your new artificial tooth (crown), which is what most people think is the implant, although in actuality it is just “the tip of the iceberg.”

Attorney Robert J. Fleming has been handling wrongful death cases, automobile accident cases, personal injury cases, dental malpractice and medical malpractice lawsuits for individuals and families who have been harmed, injured or died as a result of the carelessness or negligence of another for more than 20 years in and around Atlanta, Georgia and its surrounding areas, including Alpharetta, Austell, Avondale Estates, Chamblee, College Park, Conyers, Duluth, Decatur, Doraville, Hapeville, Johns Creek, Jonesboro, Lawrenceville, Norcross, Peachtree City, Riverdale, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, and Smyrna. If you have been seriously injured and would like quality legal representation, contact Robert J. Fleming directly on (404) 525-5150 or contact us online.